وَاضرِب لَهُم مَثَلًا أَصحابَ القَريَةِ إِذ جاءَهَا المُرسَلونَ
Present to them a parable: the inhabitants of a city, when the messengers came to it.
إِذ أَرسَلنا إِلَيهِمُ اثنَينِ فَكَذَّبوهُما فَعَزَّزنا بِثالِثٍ فَقالوا إِنّا إِلَيكُم مُرسَلونَ
We sent two messengers to them, but they rejected both, so We reinforced them with a third. They said, “We are messengers to you.”
قالوا ما أَنتُم إِلّا بَشَرٌ مِثلُنا وَما أَنزَلَ الرَّحمـٰنُ مِن شَيءٍ إِن أَنتُم إِلّا تَكذِبونَ
They replied, “You are nothing but humans like us, and the Merciful revealed nothing. You are only lying.”
قالوا رَبُّنا يَعلَمُ إِنّا إِلَيكُم لَمُرسَلونَ
They responded, “Our Lord knows that we’ve been sent to you.
وَما عَلَينا إِلَّا البَلاغُ المُبينُ
We only must convey the Clear Message.”
قالوا إِنّا تَطَيَّرنا بِكُم ۖ لَئِن لَم تَنتَهوا لَنَرجُمَنَّكُم وَلَيَمَسَّنَّكُم مِنّا عَذابٌ أَليمٌ
They said, “We see an ill omen from you. If you don’t stop, we will stone you and punish you severely.”
قالوا طائِرُكُم مَعَكُم ۚ أَئِن ذُكِّرتُم ۚ بَل أَنتُم قَومٌ مُسرِفونَ
They responded, “Your ill omen is with you. Is it because you were reminded? Rather, you are a transgressing people.”
وَجاءَ مِن أَقصَى المَدينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسعىٰ قالَ يا قَومِ اتَّبِعُوا المُرسَلينَ
Then a man came running from the farthest part of the city, saying, “O my people, follow the messengers.
اتَّبِعوا مَن لا يَسأَلُكُم أَجرًا وَهُم مُهتَدونَ
Follow those who ask no payment from you, and are themselves guided.
وَما لِيَ لا أَعبُدُ الَّذي فَطَرَني وَإِلَيهِ تُرجَعونَ
“Why shouldn’t I worship Him who originated me, and to whom you’ll be returned?
أَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دونِهِ آلِهَةً إِن يُرِدنِ الرَّحمـٰنُ بِضُرٍّ لا تُغنِ عَنّي شَفاعَتُهُم شَيئًا وَلا يُنقِذونِ
Should I take other gods besides Him? If the Merciful intends harm for me, their intercession won’t avail me at all, nor will they save me.